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“Look, whatever it is that you’re planning on doing,” Roark said, “as far as I’m concerned, I don’t know anything about it.” He held his hands out in a show of innocence. “It’s none of my business. You just do what you need to do, and…know that your secrets are safe with me.”

Loren interlocked her fingers before her, still waiting for an answer toherquestion.

As if reading her mind, Roark told her, “I’ll see if I can figure out if the helicopter made it out and where it landed. But you need to watch out for yourselves in the meantime,” he added, speaking to them both now. “If the imperator wants you locked up, he’s not going to give up just because of what happened today.”

“We won’t be staying here,” Darien said. “We’re leaving within the hour.”

“Good. And don’t tell me where you’re going. Just in case.”

Darien agreed with a dip of his chin.

Roark got in the car and shut the door, the window down.

“Roark,” Darien called, stepping forward as Roark slid the key into the ignition. “Thanks. For helping us out. Here and in Yveswich.”

He nodded. “You’re welcome.”

“We’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

Another nod. “Tomorrow.” He put his sunglasses on and started the car.

Tomorrow seemed so far away. She had not lied when she’d told Roark that she had a lot of questions, and now that he was finally free to speak about any topic he wanted and seemed willing to help… It was so much harder to wait for those answers. To be patient.

She watched him as he drove away. Through the gates that swung open with his departure. He turned the corner, the car disappearing behind the red brick wall surrounding the property.

Darien’s gentle touch brushing across her lower back eased the tension in her muscles, the breath she held slowly releasing.

“Do we really have to leave?” she asked him, still staring unseeingly at the now empty road. She already missed Hell’s Gate, and they hadn’t even left yet.

“Come on, baby,” he said softly, his fingers trailing across the ends of her hair. “Let’s go pack.”

Darien pacedin the foyer as Kylar dug through the contents of his bags that were piled up with the others by the front door.

They were alone in here. Everyone else was rushing around in other rooms, grabbing things last-minute. Loren was drying her hair with her blow dryer upstairs; Darien could hear the shitty old thing screaming bloody murder from way down here. She needed a new one. Ivy had helped them out by packing most of their things while they were at the holding center, giving Loren enough time to shower off the chlorine.

And giving Darien just enough time to take a hit of Venom—if Kylar could find it, that is.

‘Are you sure this is a good idea?’Bandit asked from his shadow.

‘We both need it. You’ve been gnawing on Cluckles nonstop.’He said it like it was a bad thing, when really he should be glad. At this rate, there wouldn’t evenbea Cluckles for much longer.

Bandit let out a low growl.‘Heard that.’

‘Kidding,’Darien drawled.

Bandit chuffed.‘If she finds out about this, and you end up sleeping on the floor again, don’t try blaming me.’

‘You’ll be in the doghouse with me. You can keep me company.’

‘Absolutely not. I’ll be sleeping in the bed with her.’

‘Good luck with that.’

Bandit snort-laughed.‘I look forward to seeing the look on your face when I get to cuddle with her, and you don’t.’

‘Cuddle? You don’t cuddle anyone. You hog the bed.’

‘I’ll cuddle her just to piss you off.’